2-1/2 Moos and 2 Barns

The grass was really bugging me...so I chopped it all up. Instead of creating long wispy grass, I figured short choppy stuff might be better. It's looking better, but still needs some work.

Here is an update on the barns. I think I'm almost done. I've really attempted to develop strong tonal values through out the scene. I think it's working to bring everything together. Now if I can just figure out the clumpy grass and rough ground...it's just not quite right yet.

Well, the cows are in place. It seemed that I was losing the spacial depth between the two barns, so I have sketched in some fence. Hopefully this will put some distance between the two barns and put the cows in better perspective.I have more details to put on the barns and the roof needs to be shingled yet. The grass needs to be clumpy and the ground roughened up. I'm pushing the darks further as well.

Step one - Working on the the barn on the right and the shingles....

Moo.....

The original photo: The cropped version:
The cows....

Home Portrait Continued

July 13, 2008

Well, I think for the most part this portrait is completed. I've added the driveway rock center, added shadows from the trees across the driveway and planted the hostas and grass in the foreground.

The foreground tree has been quite a challenge. It has enough detail to add interest to the portrait but I've had to be careful that it doesn't steal the show. I have a bit of gardening to do to plant some hostas around the roots and the driveway is left to do. Getting closer!

I've started working on the foreground tree here. The leaves are canopied to lead the eye to the house.

Here is an update to my current drawing. it's been slow developing but I really want to capture the wonderful details of this home. Springtime was a perfect time to take a photo as it allowed more open skies and the background trees are delicately placed in with light rendering.

The Many Faces of a Bridge

This is the view from my office. The Des Moines River has made national and international news this week for showing it's angry side. Over the past 11 years, I have seen the many personalities of this river and the bridge. The flood picture is from my window just yesterday morning…during the last trip in the building before they closed the area.

Here are just a few of the many faces of the Court Avenue Bridge and the Des Moines River…

Iowa Flooding

I have had a number of folks asking how I am faring through the Iowa flooding. I want to thank everyone for their checking up on me!

I am fine and my home is dry. However, my office building has made national news. It is located at 100 Court Avenue right next to the Des Moines River. It flooded on Wednesday evening, flooding out the Buzzard Billies Restaurant in the basement and destroying the power supply for the building. I have spent the past two days carrying servers, computers and printers out of the building and relocating to a temporary office space.

Here is an image from my office window just yesterday morning during my last trip in before they closed the area for evacuation....doesn't that look scary!? Just a few feet left before it goes over....

Home Portrait II

The landscaping really accentuates this house. Unique bushes decorate the front of the home.

After a slow start, I finally got into a rhythm of drawing the stones. Once I figured that out, the house has started to immerge on the paper.

The first step is to create a light outline of the structure and details. Placement and proportions are determined at this point. I then shade in the tone of the sky. This allows the white of the paper to be used only for the highlights.

I have been commissioned to draw another home portrait. This one is in Beaverdale and is a beautiful stone house. It has a lot of features that remind me of Frank Lloyd Wright designs.

Home Portrait - Commission

Well, looks like I've almost got this one completed. I've just got a few minor touch-ups. ....

I'm continuing to work on the trees behind the house. Just one more foreground tree on the right sweeping over the garage and it should be close to being completed.

I've added the foreground tree on the left....just a bit of overlap on the house to give some understanding to the tree reflections on the house. I've got a bit more shaping to do on the leaves and branches but it's almost there. Then it's the foliage at the back of the garage to frame the house nicely....

I've almost completed the house.;.. I need to do some adjusting of the tree reflection values but I'm going to wait until I finish the grass and trees.

With the bushes completed in the front and just a hint of the pattern on the garage door, the portrait is starting to come together. I'm saving the best for last...the trees, foliage and grass!

This view was taken in the early evening. This allowed some beautiful tree shadows to play across the front of the house. I don't want to draw too much attention to them but they will certainly add interest this portrait.

More of the house is completed and I'm just starting to add the trees in the background. Since this is a newer architecture, the corners and trim need to be more crisp and true. But it's coming along nicely.


I'm starting at the top of the house and working my way down.

I start the drawing with the house framed in - care is taken to make sure all the angles and perspective are 'just' right. Then I shade in the sky and lift off areas for the clouds.

This is the reference photo for a commissioned work. Paul is getting married at the end of June and as a wedding gift he requested a graphite home portrait be created of his fiance's house. It is a simple 1-1/2 story home, but it has so much charm. What a unique gift to his bride.

Featured Artwork

Two new art instruction books have just been released by Quarto Publishing Company of London. Both of these books feature my artwork! For those of you who follow my artwork, you may even recognize the cover of the Landscape book - The Mitchellville Barn #2!

Each book features 3-4 of my artwork. If that isn't enough to convince you to purchase them, well each book holds lots of great information on how to draw Still Lifes and Landscapes.

The Still Life Sketching Bible by David Poxon
ISBN: 0-7858-2362-X

The Landscape Artist's Drawing Bible by Hazel Harrison
ISBN: 0-7858-2361-1

DIANE WRIGHT
Artwork Featured in two new books!